


Misbehaving Pawn

by Llama1412



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-12
Updated: 2010-10-12
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:07:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23485036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Llama1412/pseuds/Llama1412
Summary: Arthur acts out the only way he knows how.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Kudos: 19





	Misbehaving Pawn

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on livejournal in 2010. Posted unedited.

His father's advisors all think he's the perfect heir, so readily following his father's orders and just waiting to be a tool they control. He doesn't know whether his father intentionally keeps his willful defiance from them or if they're just that oblivious, but he would bet on the former.

He tries so hard to be the perfect Prince, one his people look forward to seeing on the throne, but he has long since given up trying to be the perfect son. It's not as if he ever really had a chance, anyway.

For that reason, he flirts outrageously with every visiting dignitary, ensuring that his father's eyes are on him when he leads them to his room afterwards. He's never been picky about gender, but he knows his father disapproves of the men most, so that is where he focuses.

He's careful, of course. He'd never let his defiance interfere with his duties and he's sure to duck around the seeking eyes of gossipers. It is only his father's notice he wishes to catch, not anyone else's.

He has rules, of course. He never sleeps with anyone his father could hurt. Servants, peasants, anyone not of noble blood he knows his father would have no scruples over killing. His knights, too, he keeps out of his game. They are good men, soldiers that he is expected to lead into battle. He'd never be able to do so if he got too attached to any of them. Not that he usually gets attached to his conquests, but those campaign trips can have some awfully long nights. Still, he knows better. After all, how could he order a man to die if he's slept with him before? That's not the kind of emotional hardship Arthur wants to deal with.

So he's careful. He has to be. He's careful not to hurt anybody but his father with his dalliances, he's careful not to force anybody into sleeping with him, and he's careful not to let any of it interfere with his duty to his people.

He'd worked this out a long time ago. He'd been following his own rules strictly for years. What was the problem now?

The problem, gods damn it all, was Merlin. Stupid, incompetent Merlin, so innocent to court life and intrigue, who kept Arthur's secrets without a thought, not to serve the crown, but out of loyalty to Arthur.

And Arthur wasn't sure how to deal with that. Before, it had been simple to keep his servants out of his personal life and ensure that they had nothing to contribute to the gossip mill. Merlin wasn't like other servants, though, and he had no trouble butting into Arthur's life where no one had before. And Arthur...Arthur was ashamed. He was ashamed of what Merlin must think of him, of how Merlin must realize that Arthur was never worthy of his loyalty. He was an excellent Prince, but Arthur the Man was the one Merlin was loyal to and the one that Merlin would no doubt find lacking.

And that hurt. It shouldn't – his servant's regard really shouldn't matter to him. But, dammit, it did. Merlin was the best friend he's ever had – the only real friend, truthfully – and to lose that because Arthur was so determined to defy his father...it all just seemed so pointless.


End file.
